Controlling access to and use of electronic systems

ABSTRACT

The invention generally relates to a lock-box device that requires a child or any other user to answer one or more educational questions correctly before being allowed access to one or more entertainment systems that require power such as a television, a computer, and a video game console.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of Nonprovisional U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/106,941 filed on May 13, 2011, which itself claims priority toand the benefit of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Serial No.61/345,092 filed on May 15, 2010. Ser. Nos. 13/106,941 and 61/345,092are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally relates to controlling a user's access to anduse of a video game console or other electronic system such as atelevision or personal computer.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A common and time-consuming activity by children and adults alike isvideo game playing. Video games and video game consoles by companiessuch as Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are very popular. Other common andtime-consuming activities include watching television and viewing pagesof the World Wide Web on a personal computer. These and other activitiesthat involve the use of electronic devices typically include little ifany educational content. Many parents, guardians, and supervisors ofchildren are concerned about the amount of time children spend onelectronic entertainment such as playing video games, watchingtelevision, and surfing the Web.

SUMMARY

The invention generally relates to a device that requires a child or anyother user to answer one or more educational questions correctly beforebeing allowed access to one or more entertainment systems that requirepower such as a television, a computer, a DVD player, a cable TV box, asatellite TV box, and a video game system. Known video game consolesinclude Microsoft's Xbox, Nintendo's Wii, and Sony's PlayStation. Theinventive device can be referred to as a lock-box or a power box, inthat it securely houses the power supply plug of one or more electronicentertainment systems and controls the supply of power to the system(s).The inventive device has built-in educational quizzing functionality,and it acts as the gatekeeper for any person that wants to access anduse the system(s) plugged securely into the device. The device typicallywill be set up by a parent, guardian, or other supervisor of theuser(s), and the device includes a mechanically and/or electronicallylockable housing to prevent or at least resist tampering and to requireall users to answer one or more questions before power is delivered andaccess is provided to the one or more entertainment systems. Thedevice's built-in software will assist, if and as appropriate, the childor other user with answering the one or more questions, by, for example,giving one or more hints to the correct answer. Because the devicecontrols the delivery of electrical power to the system(s) that the userdesires to access and use, the device can be used with and to controlthe access to and use of any type of system that requires power via acorded power plug.

In one particular embodiment according to the invention, a device forcontrolling access to and use of a video game console comprises atamper-resistant housing including a lock mechanism. The device alsocomprises a power outlet disposed within the housing. The outlet is forreceiving and electrically connecting to a power plug at the end of apower cord of the video game console. The lock mechanism of the deviceis operable to lock the power plug within the housing after the powerplug is inserted into the power outlet. The device also includes adevice power cord extending from and external to its housing. Thedevice's power cord terminates in a device power plug for insertion intoan electrical outlet such as a typical household electrical wall socket.The device also includes one or more connectors accessible external tothe housing to allow a display to be connected to the device. Thedisplay can be a television or a video monitor. A logic and controlsystem of the device is disposed within the housing, and it controls thepower outlet. The logic and control system supplies images to be shownon the display to a potential user of the video game console, and theseimages include educational content in the form of one or more questionsin one or more educational subject matter areas. The logic and controlsystem also allows the potential user to provide responses to the one ormore questions, and it controls the supply of power to the power outletbased on the responses to those questions. The logic and control systemwill not supply power to the power outlet unless the responses to theone or more questions are acceptable.

The device also can have one or more other connectors accessibleexternal to the housing to allow a handheld controller unit of the videogame console to be plugged in to the device and then used by thepotential user to provide his or her responses to the one or morequestions posed by the device and displayed on a display connected tothe device. Instead of or in addition to the device having the one ormore other connectors, the device can have supplied with it either ahard-wired handheld input unit or a wireless handheld input unit, and inany event that handheld input unit is for use by the potential user toprovide the responses to the one or more questions. The device also caninclude one or more additional power outlets disposed within the housingfor allowing the device to control the use of more than one video gameconsole. The logic and control system of the device can be configured tosupply power to the power outlet only if the responses include enoughcorrect answers to the one or more questions, and that logic/controlsystem also can be configured to stop supplying power to the poweroutlet after a predetermined amount of time from when the responses weredeemed acceptable.

Various other objects, advantages, and details of the invention hereindisclosed will become apparent through reference to the followingdetailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims. Thevarious embodiments disclosed herein, as well as each of the variousfeatures of those embodiments, are not mutually exclusive and can existin various combinations and permutations whether or not expresslypointed out herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, like structures are referenced by the same or similarreference numbers throughout the various views. The illustrations in thedrawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead beingplaced generally on illustrating the principles of the invention and thedisclosed embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of at least some of the basic components of alock-box device according to the invention as well as the componentsthat get connected to the device to make it operable to control accessto and use of one or more electronic entertainment systems.

FIG. 2 is an internal view into the housing of the lock-box device ofthe invention, with the lockable top removed and not shown.

FIG. 3 is flow diagram showing how the lock-box device of the inventionoperates.

FIG. 4 shows a series of simplified screen shots that appear on adisplay screen coupled to the lock-box device of the invention as itoperates.

DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a lock-box device 100 for controlling accessto and use of at least one video game console 110 (or other electronicsystem such as a television, a computer, a DVD player, a cable TV box, asatellite TV box, or other electronic entertainment system, for example)comprises a tamper-proof, or at least tamper-resistant, housing 120 thatincludes a lock mechanism. The device 100 also has at least one poweroutlet 130 disposed within the housing 120. The outlet 130 is forreceiving and electrically connecting to a power plug 140 at the end ofa power cord 150 of the video game console 110. The lock mechanism ofthe device 100 provides the tamper-resistance of the device 100, and thelock mechanism is operable to lock the power plug 140 within the housing120 after the power plug 140 is inserted into the power outlet 130. Thepower cord 150 extends out of the housing 120 through a hole or otheropening in the housing 120 that is sized to allow that, but the hole orother opening in the housing 120 is not sized to allow the power plug140 to pass through it. Thus, even if someone were to pull on the powercord 150 after the power plug 140 is plugged into the power outlet 130and the housing is locked to secure the power plug 140 therewithin, thepower plug 140 may be pulled out of the power outlet 130, but the powerplug 140 will not be able to be pulled out of the locked housing 120 ofthe device 100 without somehow breaking open the locked housing 120 ofthe device 100. A parent, guardian, or other supervisor of a childtypically will be the one that is able to lock and unlock the lockmechanism of the device 100, and that adult thus will be the one thatopens the housing 120 by unlocking it, plugs the power plug 140 into thedevice's internal power outlet 130, and then closes the housing 120 andlocks the lock mechanism to secure the plugged-in power plug inside thehousing 120 of the device 100.

The lock mechanism can be one or more molded one-way clips that are usedto hold a top of the housing 120 to the shown bottom of the housing 120(FIG. 2), or the lock mechanism could be a mechanical key-lock thatrequires a physical key to be inserted and turned to lock the top of thehousing 120 to the bottom of the housing 120 and also to unlock the topfrom the bottom. Another option is an electromechanical lock thatrequires a code to be entered into a keypad or screen on the top orbottom of the housing 120. A numerical tumbler lock would work as well,such as the kind typically used as a bicycle lock. Other possible lockmechanisms include one-way locks such as the above-mentioned moldedone-way clips, or one-way insertion tabs on one piece of the housing 120(either the top or the bottom) with one-way receiving slots on the otherpiece of the housing 120. If a one-way lock mechanism is used, then thedevice 100 may need to be broken and replaced in order to act as acontrol device for the same and/or other electronic entertainmentsystems. Various lock mechanisms are possible and are within the scopeof this disclosure as long as the mechanism allows an operator (such asa parent or guardian or supervisor) to secure the top of the housing 120to the bottom of the housing 120 (or alternatively one half or portionof the housing to the other half or portion of the housing) in a waythat does not allow, or that at least does not easily allow, a child orother potential user of the video game console 110 to open and gainaccess into the locked housing 120. The lock mechanism should be able tobe locked and unlocked repeatedly over time, to allow the device 100 tobe used with different electronic entertainment systems over time.

The housing 120 of the device 100 can be two separate halves—a bottomand a top—as hereinbefore described, or the housing 120 can be a hingedclam-shell configuration where the top and bottom are hinged togetheralong one side. If a hinged configuration, the housing 120 can be madeof plastic by injection molding, and the hinge can be a so-called livinghinge. Various other possibilities exist for configuring and forming thehousing 120 of the device 100, as will be appreciated and understood byone of ordinary skill. For example, the housing 120 could be a rigidplastic or metal box with a separate or hinged (a living hinge or one ormore mechanical hinges similar to hinges used on a wooden cabinet door)top or side or bottom. The active lock mechanism could be located on onepart of the housing with the receiving or passive part of the lockmechanism located on the other part of the housing.

The device 100 also includes a device power cord 160 extending from andexternal to the housing 120 of the device 100. The device's power cord160 terminates in a device power plug 170 for insertion into anelectrical outlet such as a typical household electrical wall socket.The device 100 also can include one or more connectors accessibleexternal to the housing 120 to allow a display 180 to be connected tothe device 100. The display 180 can be a television or a video monitor.An alternative to having or using the connector(s) accessible externalto the housing 120 to allow the display 180 to be connected to thedevice 100 is to have supplied with the device 100 a handheld input unit210 that has one or more connectors 220 for coupling to the display 180(FIG. 2). As another alternative, the device 100 can be supplied withsuch display connector(s) that extend directly from the housing 120 ofthe device 100, and thus the handheld input unit 210 would not need tohave or use the connectors 220 that extend from the unit 210.

A logic and control system 190 of the device 100 is disposed within thehousing 120, and it controls the power outlet 130. The logic and controlsystem 190 also supplies images to be shown on the display 180 to apotential user of the video game console 110, and these images includeeducational content in the form of one or more questions in one or moreeducational subject matter areas. The logic and control system 190 alsoallows the potential user to provide responses to the one or morequestions, and it controls the supply of power to the power outlet 130based on the responses to those questions. The logic and control system190 will not supply power to the power outlet 130 unless the responsesto the one or more questions are acceptable.

The device also can have one or more other connectors accessibleexternal to the housing 120 to allow a handheld controller unit 200 ofthe video game console 110 to be plugged in to the device 100 and thenused by the potential user to provide his or her responses to the one ormore questions posed by the device 100 and displayed on the display 180connected to the device 100. Instead of or in addition to the device 100having the one or more other connectors, the device 100 can havesupplied with it the handheld input unit 210 (that can be hard-wired tothe device 100, as shown in FIG. 2, or wirelessly connected to thedevice 100). The handheld input unit 210, whether wireless orhard-wired, is for use by the potential user to provide the responses tothe one or more questions, and the unit 210 typically will have at leastan up-down button and an enter button. As shown, the unit 210 has anup-down-left-right button on its top left surface and an enter button onits top right surface. The handheld input unit 210 can be configured tobe the top of the housing 120 that gets locked onto the bottom of thehousing 120, thereby eliminating the need for a separate top piece thatgets locked onto the bottom piece of the housing 120. The device 100also can include one or more additional power outlets disposed withinthe housing 120 for allowing the device 100 to control the use of morethan one video game console 110.

The device 100 is shown (FIG. 1) with an internal power supply 230, butit is noted that the device 100 does not have to have the internalsupply 230. The device 100 also has a switch or relay 240. The switch240 is also referred to in the drawings as a solenoid.

The logic and control system 190 controls the switch 240 to eithersupply power to the outlet 130 or else prevent power from reaching theoutlet 130. The logic and control system 190 is disposed within thehousing 120, and it can be programmable. That is, the logic and controlsystem can include computer code that is updateable. The code can beupdated via an Internet connection to the device 100 or with a portablememory stick that plugs into the device 100 or otherwise. Theupdateability allows the questions and topics presented to users by thedevice 100 to be changed over time.

The logic and control system 190 of the device 100 can be configured tosupply power to the power outlet 130 (by operating the switch 240) onlyif the responses include enough correct answers to the one or morequestions, and that logic/control system 190 also can be configured tostop supplying power to the power outlet 130 after a predeterminedamount of time from when the responses were deemed acceptable. Once thelogic and control system 190 of the device 100 operates the switch 240and allows power to be supplied to the outlet 130, the video gameconsole 110 is energized and can then be used. The video game console110 may have its own display screen, or it may be connected to thedisplay 180 and use the display 180 as its display screen.

When one or more electronic entertainment systems are connected to thedevice 100, such as the video game console 110, and when the device 100is connected to the display 180, and when the device 100 is powered on,the device 100 will operate as indicated in FIG. 3 after the display 180also is powered on (Step 300). The device 100 first will perform aninitialization process (step 302) and will show on the display 180 aninitial image such as a branded logo and/or other initial information.After initialization, the device 100 will need to be set up if it hasnot yet been previously set up. The set-up for the device 100 issomething that will have to be done initially at least to set the age(or age range) and/or school grade (or grade range) of the expected user(step 303), and this is typically done by the expected user's parent,guardian, or supervisor by that adult following some basic set-upprompts provided on the display 180 by the device 100. The set-up modecan be entered again after the initial set-up, and entry into the set-upmode of the device 100 can be password or PIN protected in order toprevent the child from tampering with the difficulty level set by thechild's parent, guardian, or supervisor.

If set-up has already been done previously and it does not need to beadjusted, the normal operation of the device 100 will involve step 303being an educational topic selection step. The educational topic ofinterest can be selected from a screen shown on the display 180 such asthe simplified sample screen shot 400 shown in FIG. 4. If the childselects math as the topic (using the controller 200 or the unit 210)from screen 400, the device 100 could next ask the child user select asubtopic under the math heading such as algebra, geometry, orarithmetic, as shown by simplified sample screen shot 402. And, ifalgebra is selected by the child (again, using the controller 200 or theunit 210) from screen 402, the device 100 could then cause an algebraquestion to appear on the display 180 such as the one shown in thesimplified sample screen shot 404. This algebra question appearing onthe display 180 also is identified as step 304 in FIG. 3. If the childdoes not select the correct answer from screen 404, the program flow ofthe device 100 continues to the “incorrect” box 306 which will result inthe device 100 causing the display 180 to show a screen that indicatesto the child user that the selected answer is wrong. The device 100 thenwill cause the display 180 to show another (different) algebra question,or it could show the same question to give the child user anotherchance. It could show the same question with a hint to help the childuser select the correct answer. The same question could be shown two ormore times until the child user selects the correct answer. The samequestion could be shown no more than two or three or some other numberof times before the device 100 causes the display 180 to show adifferent algebra question. Various question presentation arrangementsare possible and within the scope of this disclosure. If the childselects the correct answer, whether it is on the first or a subsequenttry, the device 100 will cause the display 180 to show an indicationthat the correct answer was selected such as the simplified samplescreen shot 406 of FIG. 4. While screen 406 indicates that the selectionof the correct answer will result in the video game console 110 beingenergized and thus available for use by the child, it most typicallywill be the case that the device 100 will require more than just acorrect answer to a single question before it energizes the video gameconsole 110.

The device 100 typically will present a certain number of questions ineach of two or more educational subject matter areas and require acertain number of correct answers in each of the areas, such as, forexample, ten correct answers in math and ten correct answers in English.As shown in FIG. 3, at least one correct answer in math is required andalso required is at least one correct answer in vocabulary. The topicsand subtopics within any given topic can be varied by the device 100and/or can be determined by the device 100 as opposed to allowing thechild user to select the topic and subtopic as is indicated in FIG. 4.FIGS. 3 and 4 show particular illustrative embodiments of the operationof the device 100, but the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 are notthe only embodiments possible with the operation of the device 100. Theeducational topics presented can be different than shown in screen 400,and again the device 100 can decide the topic(s) and/or subtopic(s)automatically instead of allowing the user to select the desiredtopic(s) and/or subtopic(s). And similarly the educational subtopics canbe different than shown in screen 402. The device 100 can cause thedisplay 180 to show a variety of types of questions other than thefour-option type of question shown in screen 404, and the device 100also can cause the display 180 to show a variety of types of responsesif the user's selected answer is correct or incorrect other than theparticular response shown in screen 406.

Certain embodiments according to the invention have been disclosed.These embodiments are illustrative of, and not limiting on, theinvention. Other embodiments, as well as various modifications andcombinations of the disclosed embodiments, are possible and within thescope of this disclosure.

1. A device for controlling access to and use of an electronic system,comprising: a housing including a lock mechanism; a power outletdisposed within the housing for receiving a power plug at the end of apower cord of the electronic system, the lock mechanism operable to lockthe power plug within the housing when the power plug is inserted intothe power outlet; a device power cord extending from the housing andterminating in a device power plug for insertion into an electricaloutlet to power the device; one or more connectors accessible externalto the housing to allow at least one input unit to be connected to thedevice; and a logic and control system disposed within the housing, thelogic and control system for supplying images to be shown on a displaywhen the display is connected to the device, the images includingeducational content in the form of one or more questions in one or moreeducational subject matter areas, the logic and control system also forallowing responses to the one or more questions by a potential user ofthe electronic system, the at least one input unit for use by thepotential user to provide the responses to the one or more questions,the logic and control system controls the supply of power to the poweroutlet based on the responses to the one or more questions therebycontrolling access to and use of the electronic system by the potentialuser.
 2. The device of claim 1 where the electronic system is anelectronic entertainment system.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein theelectronic entertainment system comprises a video game console, atelevision, or a computer.
 4. The device of claim 2 wherein theelectronic entertainment system comprises a DVD player, a cable TV box,or a satellite TV box.
 5. The device of claim 1 further comprising oneor more other connectors accessible external to the housing to allow thedisplay to be connected to the device.
 6. The device of claim 1 whereinthe at least one input unit is a handheld controller unit of a videogame console.
 7. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or moreadditional power outlets disposed within the housing for allowing thedevice to control the use of more than one electronic system.
 8. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the logic and control system supplies power tothe power outlet only if the responses include enough correct answers tothe one or more questions.
 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the logicand control system stops supplying power to the power outlet after apredetermined amount of time from when the responses were deemed toinclude enough correct answers to the one or more questions.
 10. Adevice for controlling access to and use of an electronic system,comprising: a housing including a lock mechanism; a power outletdisposed within the housing for receiving a power plug at the end of apower cord of the electronic system, the lock mechanism operable to lockthe power plug within the housing when the power plug is inserted intothe power outlet; a device power cord extending from the housing andterminating in a device power plug for insertion into an electricaloutlet to power the device; an input unit for use with the device; and alogic and control system disposed within the housing, the logic andcontrol system for supplying images to be shown on a display when thedisplay is connected to the device, the images including educationalcontent in the form of one or more questions in one or more educationalsubject matter areas, the logic and control system also for allowingresponses to the one or more questions by a potential user of theelectronic system, the input unit for use by the potential user toprovide the responses to the one or more questions, the logic andcontrol system controls the supply of power to the power outlet based onthe responses to the one or more questions thereby controlling access toand use of the electronic system by the potential user.
 11. The deviceof claim 10 further comprising a connector accessible external to thehousing to allow the input unit to be connected to the device.
 12. Thedevice of claim 10 wherein the input unit is hard-wired to the device.13. The device of claim 10 wherein the input unit is wireless.
 14. Thedevice of claim 10 wherein the input unit is a handheld controller unit.